There exists a plurality of situations wherein it is desirable to restrain the relative movement between a given vehicle transporting cargo and the cargo itself. Examples of such situations include situations wherein vehicles having transportation platforms such as trucks and trains are used for transporting bundled elongated or board shaped articles such as dressed lumber, packaged lumber, plywood boards, gypsum boards or the like.
Indeed, such elongated or board shaped materials is usually offered by manufacturers and shippers in strapped bundles unitized for securement as a single item of cargo. The bundles are usually positioned on the carrying beds in a stacked relationship relative to each other so as to form several tiers.
Conventional spacers usually vertically separate the generally horizontally disposed tiers from each other. The conventional spacers usually consist of an elongated piece of lumber having a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration positioned transversally relative to the bundles. Commonly, each spacer has a 2"&gt;4" cross sectional dimensioning so as to allow insertion of the tines of a lift truck between the stacked bundles in order to facilitate handling thereof.
Once the tiers of bundles are stacked, a tie-down device typically taking the form of tie-down strap is used to secure the stacked bundles on the transportation platform in order to prevent the load from becoming detached therefrom.
One of the problems associated with this conventional method of securing stacked bundles to a transportation platform is that even though the tie-down strap is initially adequately tensioned so as to prevent the load from falling off the platform, during the transportation process the load subjected to vibration as well as acceleration forces tends to loosen the strap creating a potentially dangerous situation. Indeed, most conventional tie-down devices have a tendency to lose their efficiency during the transportation process. Furthermore, over tightening of the tie-down device in an attempt to compensate for such loosening of the tie-down device often results in damaging of both the tie-down device and of the load being carried.
The tendency for loads to fall-off moving transportation platforms is exacerbated in winter like conditions when snow and ice tends to accumulate between the spaced tiers making them more susceptible to slip away from each other. Furthermore, some cargo such as processed wood is often protected from direct contact with adjacent hard surfaces and from the detrimental effects of environmental factor such as rain by covers such as tarpaulins or composite covers made of woven fibers sandwiched between polyethylene layers. The protecting covers further increase the risk of having the stacked cargo fall off the transportation platform.
Stacked cargo falling off from a transportation platform may not only damage the platform and the cargo itself resulting in considerable monetary loss but it may also potentially lead to serious injuries. For example, stacked lumber falling from a moving truck platform may crush adjacent vehicle or fall onto the roadway potentially leading to serious vehicle collisions.
Accordingly, there exist a need for a restraining device that will restrain relative cargo movement between the cargo and the transportation vehicle so as to reduce the risk of having the cargo fall off from the vehicle. More specifically, there exists a need for a device that will reduce the risk of having stacked piles separated by spacers move relative to each other about a relatively horizontal geometrical plane.
Advantages of the present of the present invention include the fact that the proposed device reduces relative movement between stacked piles of material during transportation of the latter when the cargo is subjected to acceleration forces. Also, the proposed device is specifically configured so as to be readily mounted on conventional spacers used for spacing tiers of stacked material such as conventional elongated wood spacers having 2".times.4" cross sectional dimensions.
Furthermore, the proposed device is specifically configured so as to provide additional frictional forces between adjacent tiers of stacked material without causing excessive damage to the material at the point of contact between the proposed device and the material. Also, the proposed device is relatively lightweight so as not to unduly increase the overall weight of the transported load. Furthermore the proposed device is designed so as to be manufacturable using relatively simple conventional method of manufacturing so as to provide a device that is economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
In accordance with a one embodiment of the invention there is provided an adapter for increasing the frictional force generated by a spacer interposed between a pair of items, the spacer defining a pair of opposed load bearing surfaces and a pair of spacing surfaces, the adapter comprising a relatively flat plate, the plate defining a pair of plate surfaces, a pair of opposed contacting edges and a pair of spacing edges;
a fixing means mounted on the plate for fixing the plate to one of the spacing surfaces of the spacer; PA1 a friction enhancing means extending from at least a chosen one of the contacting edges for increasing the friction coefficient of the chosen contacting edge; the plate being configured and sized so that the friction enhancing means protrudes from one of the load bearing surfaces when the plate is mounted on the spacer.
Conveniently, the friction enhancing means extends from both of the contacting edges, the plate being configured and sized so that the friction enhancing means protrudes from both the load bearing surfaces when the plate is mounted on the spacer.
Preferably, friction enhancing means includes at least one friction tooth extending from each of the contacting edges. Conveniently, the friction tooth defines a friction tooth apex, the friction tooth apex having a generally rounded contour. Preferably, the friction tooth has a friction tooth height, the friction tooth height having a value substantially in the range of one quarter of an inch.
In one embodiment, the fixing means includes at least one fixing aperture extending through the plate and a fixing component, the fixing component having an elongated stem and an abutment head; the abutment head being configured for abuttingly contacting one of the plate surfaces while the stem is configured so as to extend through the fixing aperture and frictionally engage the spacer.
In another embodiment, the fixing means includes at least one toothed aperture extending through the plate, the toothed aperture having a peripheral edge, at least one aperture tooth extending substantially perpendicularly from the peripheral edge of the toothed aperture, the aperture tooth being configured so as to be able to frictionally engage of the spacing surfaces when the plate abuttingly contacts the spacer.
In yet another embodiment, the fixing means includes at least one fixing bracket solidly anchored to the plate, the fixing bracket having a bracket first segment attached to one of the plate surfaces and extending generally parallel to the latter; the bracket first segment bending integrally into a generally perpendicular bracket second segment; the bracket second segment, in turn, bending integrally into a generally perpendicular bracket third segment; the fixing bracket defining a generally "C"-shaped cross-sectional configuration forming a concavity, the concavity being configured and sized so as to be substantially fittingly mounted over the spacer with the bracket second segment abuttingly contacting one of the load bearing surfaces.
In an alternative embodiment, the adapter further includes an auxiliary friction enhancing means for enhancing the friction between the adapter and contacting items, the auxiliary friction enhancing means including an auxiliary section having a generally "L" shaped configuration and extending substantially perpendicularly from a selected one of the contacting edges so that the adapter with its auxiliary section has a generally "U" shaped cross sectional configuration; the "L" shaped auxiliary section defining a first auxiliary segment extending substantially perpendicularly from selected contacting edge; the first auxiliary segment being configured and sized so as to override one of the load bearing surfaces, the first auxiliary segment bending integrally and substantially perpendicularly into a second auxiliary segment; the second auxiliary segment defining a pair of second auxiliary segment contacting edges; at least one of the second auxiliary segment contacting edges being provided with corresponding friction teeth extending therefrom.
In another alternative embodiment of the invention, an abutment plate extends substantially perpendicularly from the first auxilliary segment.
Preferably, the second auxiliary segment is configured and sized so as to be substantially similar to the plate. Conveniently, the first auxiliary segment is provided with at least one auxiliary toothed aperture extending therethrough, the auxiliary toothed aperture having at least one auxiliary aperture tooth extending substantially perpendicularly from its peripheral edge.
There is also provided a blank for forming an adapter, the blank comprising a flat piece of substantially rigid material, the flat piece having a generally rectangular configuration defining a pair of longitudinal peripheral edges and a pair of transversal peripheral edges; the longitudinal peripheral edges being provided with serrations formed thereon; a pair of serrated fold lines extending longitudinally across the flat piece of material in a parallel relationship with the longitudinal peripheral edges.
The invention also includes a spacer for spacing stacked items, the spacer comprising a spacing block, the spacing block defining a pair of opposed load bearing surfaces and a pair of spacing surfaces; a relatively flat plate, the plate defining a pair of plate surfaces, a pair of opposed contacting edges and a pair of spacing edges; a fixing means mounted on the plate for fixing the plate to one of the spacing surfaces of the spacing block; a friction enhancing means extending from at least a chosen one of the contacting edges for increasing the friction coefficient of the chosen contacting edge; the plate being configured and sized so that the friction enhancing means protrudes from one of the load bearing surfaces when the plate is mounted on the spacing block.
In one embodiment, the friction enhancing means extends from both of the contacting edges, the plate being configured and sized so that the friction enhancing means protrudes from both the load bearing surfaces when the plate is mounted on the spacing block.
Preferably, the friction enhancing means includes at least one friction tooth extending from each of the contacting edges.